In a big political development, all candidates contesting the by-elections for 12 Rajya Sabha seats have been elected unopposed. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) emerged as the dominant force, clinching victories in 11 of the 12 seats. Among these, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured nine seats, while the Ajit Pawar faction and the Rashtriya Lok Morcha won one seat each. The Indian National Congress also managed to secure one seat in this round of by-elections.
The Rajya Sabha, India’s upper house of Parliament, comprises 245 seats in total. However, eight seats currently remain vacant—four from Jammu and Kashmir and four nominated seats. With the present membership standing at 237, the majority mark is pegged at 119. The NDA, which has now reached 112 seats following its latest electoral success, also enjoys the support of six nominated members and one independent member, thus securing a clear majority in the Rajya Sabha.
Key Victories Across States
Bihar
Upendra Kushwaha, President of the Rashtriya Lok Morcha, and BJP’s Manan Kumar Mishra were among the prominent candidates elected unopposed from Bihar. Tuesday marked the final date for withdrawing nominations for the Rajya Sabha by-elections. As no other candidates filed their nominations apart from Kushwaha and Mishra, they were automatically declared winners after the withdrawal deadline expired. The Assembly Secretary promptly issued their certificates of victory.
Kushwaha’s term in the Rajya Sabha will span two years, while Mishra will serve a four-year term. These seats were previously held by RJD leader Misa Bharti and BJP leader Vivek Thakur, both of whom vacated their positions after winning the Lok Sabha elections. With these wins, the NDA now holds 10 of the 16 Rajya Sabha seats from Bihar.
Madhya Pradesh
In Madhya Pradesh, Union Minister and BJP’s Rajya Sabha candidate George Kurian was elected unopposed after BJP’s dummy candidate Kantadev Singh withdrew his nomination. Following Singh’s withdrawal, Kurian received his certificate of election from Returning Officer and Principal Secretary of the Assembly, Arvind Sharma. The announcement was made in the presence of Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav and BJP state president VD Sharma.
Haryana
BJP’s Kiran Choudhary secured her seat in the Rajya Sabha unopposed from Haryana. The formalities were completed on Tuesday, with Returning Officer Saket Kumar presenting Choudhary with her certificate of election.
Kiran Choudhary was announced as the BJP’s candidate on August 20, and she filed her nomination on August 21 in the presence of Chief Minister Nayab Saini. With no opposition candidates fielded by the Congress or other parties, Choudhary’s unopposed entry to the Rajya Sabha was confirmed.
Rajasthan
Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu has been elected as a Rajya Sabha MP from Rajasthan. The final date for withdrawing nominations was Tuesday, after which the results were declared. Notably, the Congress did not field any candidate against Bittu, paving the way for his unopposed victory.
Implications of NDA’s Rajya Sabha Majority
The current electoral outcome adds 11 seats to the NDA’s tally, bringing its total to 112 seats in the Rajya Sabha. This majority is further bolstered by the support of six nominated members and one independent member. Such a majority in the upper house is both a significant advantage and a potential challenge.
A clear majority in the Rajya Sabha allows the ruling coalition to pass legislation without being held hostage by smaller regional parties or independent MPs, who often leverage their support to make unreasonable demands. This could lead to more efficient parliamentary functioning, with the government able to implement its agenda without major roadblocks.
Historically, until 1989, the Congress party enjoyed a clear majority in the Rajya Sabha, largely due to its strong presence in state governments. Since then, successive governments have had to navigate the complexities of coalition politics, often relying on support from smaller parties or building consensus with opposition parties to pass critical legislation in the Rajya Sabha. This shift has fundamentally altered the dynamics of Indian parliamentary proceedings, making the current scenario with the NDA’s majority a noteworthy development.
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